Li Hing Mui Powder Recipe
Dried li hing mui plums are already fermented and seasoned with salt, sugar, and licorice root, so grinding them with a little extra sugar, salt, and citric acid is all it takes to turn them into a fine, shelf-stable powder without any cooking.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 0 min
- Total
- 15 min
- Servings
- 16
Ingredients
- 1 cup, packed dried li hing mui plums, pitted
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon five-spice powder
- 1 teaspoon citric acid (sour salt)
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 40
- Protein
- 0g
- Carbs
- 10g
- Fat
- 0g
Based on the recipe as written, one serving. Recalculates if you swap an ingredient above. An estimate only, exact values depend on the specific ingredients used.
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Instructions
- 1Remove and discard the pits from the dried li hing mui plums, then tear the flesh into small pieces.
- 2Combine the torn plum pieces with the sugar, kosher salt, five-spice powder, and citric acid in a spice grinder or high-powered blender.
- 3Pulse in short bursts, scraping down the sides as needed, until the mixture turns into a fine, mostly uniform powder; this usually takes 2-3 minutes of total processing time.
- 4Pass the powder through a fine-mesh sieve, pressing with the back of a spoon to force the fine particles through; discard the tough, fibrous bits left behind, or grind them once more if a lot remains.
- 5Taste the sifted powder. It should taste sweet, salty, and sour with a faint licorice edge; add a small pinch of extra sugar or salt if it tastes too sharp or too flat.
- 6Transfer the powder to an airtight jar and store at room temperature, away from light and moisture, for up to 6 months.
Tips & variations
- For a spicier version, add a pinch of cayenne or use spicy-style li hing mui plums, which are sold alongside the regular kind at most Asian grocers.
- Toss the powder onto sliced mango, pineapple, apple, or watermelon right before serving for a quick sweet-sour-salty snack.
- Rim a glass with lime juice and dip it in the powder for a li hing mui margarita or mai tai.
- If using pre-sweetened commercial plums, they're often milder and less tart than traditional ones, so add the full amount of citric acid rather than skipping it.
Storage & reheating
Keep the powder in a well-sealed jar at room temperature, away from direct sunlight and humidity; a food-safe silica packet or a few grains of dry rice dropped into the jar helps absorb stray moisture. Properly dried and stored, it keeps its flavor for up to 6 months. If it hardens into clumps, that's a sign moisture got in; break it up and use it soon, or discard if it smells off.
Tips from the Tulo kitchen
- A coffee grinder reserved just for spices works as well as a dedicated spice grinder and gets the powder finer than most blenders can manage.
- If the plums feel noticeably tacky or soft rather than firm and dried, spread them on a tray and let them air-dry for a few hours first, otherwise they'll gum up the grinder blades.
FAQ
What is li hing mui powder made from?
It's made from li hing mui, whole dried plums cured in salt, sugar, licorice root, and red food coloring, that are pitted and ground into a fine powder, sometimes with a little extra sugar and salt added.
Where can I buy dried li hing mui plums?
Look in the dried fruit or snack aisle of Chinese or Hawaiian grocery stores, or order them online; they're usually sold whole, with pits, in small resealable bags.
Is li hing mui powder the same as plum powder?
Not quite. Plain plum powder is just dried, ground plum, while li hing mui powder specifically comes from plums already cured with salt, sugar, and licorice root, giving it a distinct sweet-salty-sour-licorice flavor.
Can I substitute something for the citric acid?
A pinch of finely ground sour salt (which is citric acid under another name) works identically. In a pinch, a small amount of unsweetened powdered lemonade mix can add tartness, though it will shift the flavor slightly.
